Council Opts to Appoint "Interim Councilmember" to Deployed McCann Seat
August 06, 2009 at 9:12 PM
Chula Vista City Council voted Tuesday night to fill Navy Reservist John McCann’s seat with an interim councilmember, through a “backroom, politically charged application and selection process” argued several residents who attended that evening. The item was placed on the council agenda by Councilwoman Pamela Bensoussan who claimed one council meeting earlier that she was not prepared to decide on whether to fill the seat with an interim councilmember or not and what that process would be. Although meeting the minimum requirements of 72 hour notice as required by law, many members of the public were baffled and surprised to see the item on the agenda, with a majority learning the day before. Speculation arose that the effort was done purposely before the public got full wind. Myssie McCann, wife of Councilman McCann, was also taken by surprise-- “…We thought we had a little more time because…we thought it was going to be put off till September.”
President & CEO of the Chula Vista Civic Association Ed Herrera argued: “The most logical and democratic answer was the Sunnyvale solution—appoints the highest vote getter in the most previous election as City Council did in Sunnyvale, California to fill the seat of a deployed Navy Reservist councilmember…This process, if implemented consistently to address military activated elected officials at the municipal level, most protects against cronyism, political agendas, and special interests” stated Herrera in reaction to the Council’s decision. “Council’s actions were irresponsible in attempting to set precedence and using an archaic, undemocratic process prone to several vulnerabilities…” Although there is no vacancy, but an extended absence, as it relates to what process is best, when National City had a recent vacancy in its city council, U.S. Congressman Bob Filner agreed with appointing the runner up. “Clearly, this approach is above partisan politics” said Herrera. Mayor Cheryl Cox agreed, introducing the motion to fill the seat through the runner up citing “good government.” The motion failed for lack of colleague support. Despite overwhelming support from the public who lined up one after the other for the “Sunnyvale solution,” Bensoussan moved to fill the seat through an application process, specifically the process used in appointing the port commissioner, with Councilman Rudy Ramirez seconding the motion, Mayor Cox voting in support and Councilman Steve Castaneda voting against --who advocated not filling the seat.
This is not the first time the council has stood up against a majority of Chula Vistans. With McCann deployed, every member of council, as it currently stands, supported the placement of Proposition “A” on the May 5th ballot which would have increased the sales tax in
